Within Dead and Broken Hearts
by JDepp4ever
Summary: With a burnt down factory and dismembered family, Barnabas is beginning to get depressed. But when a strange baker arrives in Collinsport from London, things begin to change. Can a man with no heart mend a broken one? Rated T for now but will probably go up in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: Hey guys! So my friend and I have gotten together and figured that it'd be cool if Barnabas met Nellie. Hopefully you guys will like this fanfic, and we'll most likely update fairly regularly so keep checking in and review to your heart's content! Thanks!- Ashley and Allie**

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With an umbrella in hand, Barnabas stood outside his now destroyed cannery, staring at the remains of the building with a solemn look. Barnabas Collins had nothing left. His beloved Victoria hadn't survived, Collinwood burned down, Julia was at the bottom of the ocean, and he didn't even have Angelique to fight with anymore. Carolyn left for New York like she wanted and the cannery was nothing but a pile of wood and ashes. Elizabeth was somewhere in the distance, talking to a man about how she would be able to fix the ruins of their house and business. David was standing with his uncle, wearing a face that was too mature for his age.

"Are we ever going to go back home again, Uncle Barnabas?" the little boy asked quietly, breaking the long string of silence.

Barnabas cleared his throat. "Of course we will, Master David. It's ready, waiting for us now. We must wait for a few more minor problems to be fixed before we go back."

The vampire had also been thinking about their living situation. Currently, they were staying at a small motel outside of town. They all hated it. Barnabas was thankful for a room to himself, but it was much less comfortable than the coffin he preferred. He had made it clear to Elizabeth that the rebuilding of their former mansion must be done as soon as possible. It had taken a long time, but the house was almost done now. Barnabas assumed that he could move back in immediately but Elizabeth wouldn't allow him yet, for what reason he had no idea.

David sighed and walked away, but Barnabas did not bother to see where he was going. The man turned around and looked at the dock as a passenger ship was just arriving. Barnabas watched all of the people arriving into his town, admiring them. They were coming into a new life with new hopes instead of returning to an old life, full of broken promises and crushed dreams. Barnabas envied them. Taking a deep breath, the vampire watched all of the small families and young men walk off of the boat with smiling faces. There was one single passenger that looked different than the others.

It was a tiny woman; probably just around the age of forty. She was pale, almost as pale as Barnabas. She wore all black and a hat that managed to cover most of her face. Through the hat, Barnabas could see that she was beautiful, but also extremely worried. He was always able to read emotions. While the other people departed out to the spots that were waiting for them, the woman waited, looking around as if she was confused. Barnabas had a strong urge to help her.

Making sure that Elizabeth and David weren't looking, Barnabas made his way over to the woman. She looked extremely tired and weak, even though she was only holding one suitcase. She didn't see him until he was a few feet away from her.

"Are you in need of assistance, madame?" he asked politely, nervously.

The auburn-haired woman turned around quickly, her hand on her heart. She was breathing heavily and she looked at the vampire with wide eyes. "Oh, dear, you gave me quite the fright," she answered him, out of breath. "But no, oh no. I'm quite alright," she said with a reassuring smile.

Barnabas' eyebrows furrowed. He noticed the mysterious woman's Cockney accent, something he used to hear quite often when he was a small child. "You're not," he protested. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

"Why are you askin'?" the woman responded bitterly.

"Well, madame, I consider myself as the caretaker of this town. I am Barnabas Collins, you see. This town was named after me...my family. I see it as my responsibilty to see over the welfare of the townspeople," Barnabas explained.

The woman raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Nellie Lovett," she said quietly, holding her hand out to shake.

Barnabas nodded and shook her hand, trying to look at her face through the hat she was wearing. "Beautiful name," Barnabas commented. "And where have you come from, if I may ask?"

Nellie's eyes turned distant as she stared at the ground and released Barnabas' hand. She quickly snapped out of it, though. "London."

"London," Barnabas responded with a smile. "I remember the days I spent in London. Not too great when you're there, but you do come to miss it, I suppose," he mused.

Nellie nodded slowly, staring at Barnabas with a suspicious look on her face. "Yes, well. I 'ate it and I'm glad that I'm 'ere. I must go now, I'm afraid, so I'll meet you again another time," she said quickly.

Barnabas shook his head and held a hand out. "No, madame. You mustn't. Please, I beg of you, come stay at my mansion. It is much more comfortable than wherever you're going. While it is in the process of being rebuilt, I can assure you that it is safe for you. I couldn't bear to see a woman like you out here, homeless in the cold. You will have a room to yourself, you can also converse with my relative, Elizabeth. She'll help you make a life here," Barnabas said almost desperately. He wanted to save the life of Nellie Lovett.

Nellie, having nowhere else to go, took a deep breath and thought about her options. After a few moments she cleared her throat. "Sure," she said almost inaudibly. "But no funny business," she added sternly, her eyes roaming Barnabas' body.

Barnabas simply frowned and shook his head, not knowing what Nellie meant. "I can assure you that you have all of my respect. Come, now, Ms. Lovett. I will show you to your new home," he said with a small smile, holding his arm out. He hadn't felt this happy in a long time.

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**So that is the first chapter of many to come. I hope you guys liked it! Please review! We really are genuinely interested in people's opinions and wanna know if you guys like this ship or not. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Fire. It was everywhere. The baker's eyes burned from the blinding flames that engulfed the bake room. It had started out all so simple. Three words. "I love you." She had whispered to the barber. She remembered his haunting glare, his stinging words, and his blunt blows. She remembered the look in his eyes as her adopted son slit his throat. She also remembered her adopted son tripping into the oven that was meant to kill her instead, leaving her all alone. And now she stood here, in the middle of a flaming bake house, a homemade hell. This was the thought of a fitting death in the barber's eyes, burning with the rest of his useless victims underneath the ground. Luckily though, he forgot about their little sewage plant underneath, and the baker was able to sink under into the sewers and escape her death. She walked for about fifteen minutes, then crawled out, ending up in an alley a few streets over from her shop. Although she knew it wasn't smart, decided to go back. She would leave eventually, yes, but she needed to collect her things and say a proper goodbye to her home.

She slunk through the door, thankful that the flames hadn't risen yet. Sighing, she walked into her room for the last time. She got a suitcase out and stuffed in a few dresses, then went to her dresser and grabbed her bottle of perfume and the picture of Sweeney she kept under her pillow. Even if he did try to kill her, she needed to remember him. She still loved him, and always would. She looked in the mirror at herself, her hand rising up to the side of her face and gently touching the dark bruises left from the man that she loved. Shaking her head and snapping out of her little trance, grabbed her little stash of money under her bed and reached for a hat before running into her shop. She stuffed a few apples and slices of bread into her suitcase. After this was done, she took one last look around her shop. She'd spent her whole life toiling away here, and she always dreamed of getting away, but not like this. Oh well. It was time for her to get away from all this. There wasn't anything holding her back anymore, no handsome barber to wait for, no husband to please, no shop to run, nothing. It was a fresh slate for , and as she stepped onto the huge wooden ship sailing to America, she was finally free.

Three weeks later, the very same baker stepped onto the soil of the new world. With her hat blocking her from the sun, she stood on the docks, inhaling a deep breath. From the looks of it, wherever she was was drastically different from Fleet Street. She could actually...breathe. There was no smog in the air, no mean crowds. People actually seemed nice. All of this was so strange, and didn't like it. She felt so lost.

Her head snapped up when she heard a stranger's voice. In London, nobody ever talked to her unless they were trying to sell her something or steal her money.

She looked up at the man with wide eyes. We're all Americans this strange?

"Oh dear, you gave me quite the fright. But no, I'm quite alright." She decided to play it nice at first, but still curled her hand into a fist behind her back, ready to defend herself if needed.

She stared at the man as his eyebrows furrowed and he asked if she had anywhere to stay. She was definitely used to this from being in London. She'd seen the whole "poor dear, come back to my place and warm up" trick thousands of times, and wasn't going to fall for it.

"Why are you askin'?" She finally piped up, hoping he would back off.

When she heard the man finally explain herself, she let her guard down a bit. He seemed more respectable, and didn't look like the type of scum that would try to mug or rape her, so she took in a deep breath and told him her name once he was finished talking.

When he offered his hand, she awkwardly reached out to shake it, holding in a gasp at the sharp coldness of his skin. She looked down with surprise as she saw the man's long bony fingers grasp around her hand, and immediately pulled her hand back seconds later. Even for American, this guy was seriously weird.

She then realized he was talking again. When she caught on that he was talking of London, she looked up at his face again, trying to see what he was playing at. "Yes, well I 'ate it, and I'm glad I'm 'ere." She said sharply. "I must go now, I'm afraid, so I'll meet you again another time." She didn't like talking about her past, especially with this stranger. He knew nothing about her, and therefore this conversation was irrelevant. The baker had to find a place to sleep and food to eat, and she definitely wasn't making progress talking to this loony.

She took a few steps away, but whirled around when the man sought after her again, begging her to stay with him, offering her her own room and everything. She raised her eyebrow, trying to find some catch. Why did he care so much? Back in London she could've been starving on the streets and no one would give her so much as a passing glance, and this man was offering her everything on a silver platter. No, this couldn't be right. She looked up at him again, wondering what was going on in that little mind of his. What did he want? Money? Sex? She wasn't willing to give him either, but was in desperate need of a place to stay nonetheless.

She took a while to think out her options. Maybe this man genuinely did want to help. And if he didn't…well, Nellie knew how to defend herself. She could definitely throw a mean right hook, and was sure she had nothing to lose really.

After making her decision, she cleared her throat and stuck her nose in the air, giving the man a dignified look. "Sure." She said (although her voice came out smaller than she would've liked). "But no funny business." She snarled, making sure the man knew she was on her guard and weary of every move he was making.

After the man said she had all of his respect, the baker exhaled a long breath and took another step towards him. She didn't take the hand that he offered, but instead just let him lead the way. had no idea what she was getting herself into.


	3. Chapter 3

The walk to Collinwood was a long one. Barnabas was desperately trying to think of what to say to make conversation, but this woman didn't want anything to do with him. This was something he didn't understand. He was providing shelter for her in a new country, he was giving her a place to live and food to eat. Why wasn't she more grateful?

"What made you decide to come to America?" he had asked earlier.

"I'm afraid that's none of your business," Nellie responded.

Barnabas considered himself to be a gentleman, yes. This woman, though, she was making him overwhelmingly aggravated. He could already tell that she was extremely stubborn and also determined to get what she wanted. The pretty ones were always like that.

"To be honest, Ms. Lovett, I am not fond of your attitude. You see, I have taken you in to stay at my mansion, and you return my gestures by acting like this? I'm afraid it's unacceptable. You don't have to like me, but please, show the smallest hint of respect for me and we can live in a civil manner."

Nellie visibly scoffed, rolling her eyes and looking at Barnabas with a sarcastic smile. "Sorry," she muttered. "I'm not in the best mood, Mr. Collins. It's a long way 'ere from England," she continued.

Barnabas stiffened and nodded a bit. He didn't know what to make of this Nellie Lovett, she was annoying yet endearing at the same time. He wished to lock arms with her, just to make sure she was safe, but he knew she wouldn't like that. Taking a deep breath, he finally led the woman through the gates of Collinwood. He realized that Elizabeth would not be arriving here for the next few days. He would be here alone with Nellie, which probably scared her.

"This sure is a mansion," Ms. Lovett said when she saw Collinwood. "Not the nicest one I ever seen, though."

"Well, madame, it's still being fixed. There was a fire, you see," Barnabas informed his guest.

Nellie made a face and nodded, following the man into the huge house. Her eyes widened when they walked in. It still needed some maintenance, but it was very beautiful nonetheless. This was definitely better than the cheap inn she was going to stay at. Clearing her throat, she looked at Barnabas with an expectant face. "And where's my room?" she asked sternly.

Barnabas frowned at first but then nodded, walking up the stairs to show Nellie her room. It wasn't that far from his. "Here you are," he said quietly, opening the door up for her like she was a royal princess.

Nellie walked in, giving the room a satisfactory look. "Where will you be staying?" she asked curiously.

"I'm just down the hall, to your right."

"Oh, are you?" Nellie replied, wanting to make sure Barnabas knew who was in charge.

"Yes, of course I am. Though, I do have irregular sleeping patterns, I'm afraid," Barnabas admitted. "But no worries, madame. If you ever need my assistance, I can assure you I'll help, no matter where I am in this big house."

Raising an eyebrow, Nellie nodded slowly. Why was he being so nice? This man was definitely up to something, and she knew she'd have to watch her back. "Well, alright, Mr. Collins. Thank you," she said, trying to lead him to the door.

"Oh no, not at all, Ms. Lovett. But please, since we are living in the same vicinity now, I insist you call me Barnabas. You must be starving as well, would you care to join me for dinner?" Barnabas asked politely, knowing he wouldn't eat anything. Nellie, on the other hand, looked like she was starving.

Considering her options, Nellie stood there and waited for a moment, thinking about how she should handle the situation. Mr. Collins just told her that she could call him Barnabas, and then invited her for dinner. This man was interesting, and definitely a little weird, but so was she. What would be the harm in getting to know her new landlord? Her ultimate plan was to have him wrapped around her finger, anyway. He obviously had a lot of connections, connections that she needed to make a new life. "Sure," she finally said with a charming smile.

Barnabas nodded, smiling slightly, and then took her hand. "Good, I am overjoyed. It will be ready by six," he promised. Giving Nellie a nervous look, he leant down and kissed her hand lightly before leaving the room.

Nellie didn't know why, but she felt butterflies in her stomach. She didn't think it was from the man himself, maybe it was just because no man had been this nice to her for as long as she could remember. No one had kissed her hand like that before, so softly and politely. For all of her life, Nellie only wanted to be loved, to feel special. She realized that, in this moment, that was exactly what she was feeling. Someone genuinely cared for her well-being. Taking a deep breath, she smiled to herself and checked the clock, realizing that there wasn't a lot of time until the clock would ring six. Nellie didn't bother changing dresses, she only had a few anyway. She fixed her hair up and tried to make herself more presentable before going downstairs. The last touch was lowering the front part of her dress a bit.

When Nellie arrived downstairs, Barnabas was waiting for her at the huge wooden table. "Good evening," he greeted her with a nod. The man got up and pulled a chair out for her, causing Nellie to blush.

"A good evening to you too, Mr. Collins."

"Oh, Ms. Lovett, I've already told you to call me Barnabas," the man said. "I do hope you'll enjoy what my staff, Willie, has made you."

"Barnabas," Nellie confirmed when the man talked. She nodded once he mentioned the staff, wondering how many people were here to serve them. "I'm sure I will."

Not a moment later, the short man came into the room, holding a plate of turkey, potatoes, and a few other vegetables. He put it in front of Nellie, then gave her a glass of wine. "Thank you," she said politely. The man grumbled something and then walked away, causing Nellie to look at Barnabas with a curious face.

"That's Willie," Barnabas explained simply.

"Ah. Sounds like a wonderful person to be around," Nellie said sarcastically, picking her fork up. "Are you eating?" she asked Barnabas skeptically.

"No, madame, I am afraid I'm not. I had a big lunch today, you see. I can't bear to eat anything else," the vampire replied.

Nodding slowly, Nellie took a bite of her food. She felt so relieved to have real food in her mouth for what seemed like the first time in months. It was delicious, of course. "Very good," she said approvingly.

Barnabas smiled, obviously happy that she was happy. "I'm glad." He watched her eat for a few seconds, but then quickly averted his eyes when Nellie looked his way. "So, Ms. Lovett, what are you planning to do in America?" Barnabas finally asked.

Nellie looked up at Barnabas, swallowing her food, and then taking a deep breath. "Call me Nellie," she said airily, giving up the stern figure she was hoping to keep. She really hated being called "Ms. Lovett," though. "And I'm 'ere to make a new life for myself. Things went wrong in London and I 'ad to leave," she said, acting as if it was no big deal. Her heart ached as she thought of her beloved Mr. Todd.

"Well, Nellie, I certainly do hope that life is more efficient for you here in Collinsport," Barnabas replied with a polite smile. "May I ask what happened in London?"

"No," Nellie responded immediately as she took another bite of potatoes. "You ain't allowed to know anything. How would you feel if I just came 'ere, asking you questions about your life? Huh?" the baker questioned saucily.

Barnabas, a little surprised, shook his head. "I have to admit, I would not mind one bit. I could tell you some, if you'd like. I was born in Liverpool, you see. Came here with my parents when I was just a boy, but they've been gone for decades now. I've had two loves in my lifetime, both of them also dead. As you could be able to tell, I'm quite the heartbroken man. The cannery, where I was earlier today, that's the family business. It was also burned down from a fire. My cousin, Elizabeth, and myself have been working on trying to fix everything up. It's been very hard," he confessed. "But, Ms.- Nellie. I have a strong feeling you'll bring light into our lives."

Blushing again, Nellie looked down at her plate with a small smile. She wanted to be stern with the man, but she liked the compliments, and he seemed sincere enough. "I hope I can," she responded quietly. It was surprising that he had just confessed all of this to her, but she figured he was much more comfortable than she was. He was beginning to grow on her, though. The rest of the dinner was fine, they didn't speak much because Nellie was busy eating. Luckily, she ate quickly, so she didn't have to spend any extra time with a man she barely knew.

"Please, let me walk you up to your room," Barnabas suggested once she was done. Nellie cleared her throat and gave him one quick nod as she followed him back up the stairs.

Barnabas, simply amazed at this woman's beauty, stared at Nellie once they were standing outside of her door. "Thank you," he said to her with a small smile.

"For what?" Nellie giggled.

Barnabas became slightly uncomfortable and he shrugged, not knowing why he said thank you, but knowing that he meant it.

Smiling, Nellie held her hand out for him to kiss it again. "Well, whatever it is, you're welcome," she said as his lips touched her hand once again. "I'll see you tomorrow, at dinner. Same time. Maybe even before," Nellie told him with a small smirk before pulling away and going into her room. "Thank you, too," she added, closing her door.

Barnabas stood there, speechless. She was so beautiful, her laugh was so beautiful. He was hoping for many more dinners like that. "You're welcome," he finally whispered. The vampire began to walk away, then realizing something very important. He was falling for yet another woman.


	4. Chapter 4

Mrs. Lovett awoke the next morning at the crack of dawn. She sat up in bed, panting as a bead of cold sweat ran down her forehead. Her nightmares were getting worse. She couldn't bear being away from her Sweeney, and it seemed that her pain was only magnified by the dark night atmosphere. For a moment, she panicked, forgetting where she was. It was a strange room, hardly bigger than the one she had at home. But this one was so…empty. She missed her room with her various dressers stuffed with her pretty dresses, and her little knick knacks lining the tops of her shelves. She missed her old bed, with her bed sheets that she sometimes stole from the barber upstairs just so she could fall asleep in his scent. As hard as it was for her to admit, Nellie missed London.

The baker sighed when she looked to the clock on the wall that read 2 AM. She now understood how she had acquired those dark rings under her eyes. She threw off the blankets that had suddenly become over heated, and swung her legs over the side of the bed, hopping onto the cold floor with her bare feet. She pulled her nightgown up over her shoulders as the cool night air nipped at her skin and slowly made her way out of the room. She didn't know what exactly she was doing, but she just felt the need to get up and walk around a little before she went to bed. She needed to get her worries off her mind, maybe drink a glass of cool water. Yes, water sounded nice at the moment. She found a small candle in the hallway and took it from its holder on the wall, holding it in front of her as the stumbled down the stairs to try and find the kitchen. Once she was downstairs, she squinted as she saw a bright fire burning in the entrance room. Who was up this late anyway? Maybe it was the staff person who could direct her to the kitchen? Her curiosity got the best of her and she soon found her feet shuffling forward until she was in front of the fire and face to face with the man on the couch looking at the fire.

"Oh, Mrs. Lovett!" Barnabas turned around when he heard the petite woman's soft footsteps.

"…Barnabas?" Said Mrs. Lovett in an unsure voice, not sure wither to be more confused about why the man was down here at 2 in the morning or the Cheshire-like grin that began to spread on his face as their eyes locked.

"Madame, what ever are you doing up at such an hour?" He asked, standing up and taking a few steps towards her while admiring how her delicate features shimmered in the silvery moonlight.

"I just…couldn't sleep. I wanted some water, that's all." She said, looking the man in front of her up and down again. "What are _you_ doing down 'ere, anyways?"

"Same as you!" Barnabas said a bit too quickly. "I mean uh- I was just…reading. I enjoy reading fantasy before falling asleep. Makes for the most interesting of dreams, you know." He lied more smoothly, pointing to one of the books Elizabeth had left on the opposite side of the sofa.

Mrs. Lovett raised her eyebrow when said he was reading before bed.

"Well shouldn't you be in bed then? If you were reading I mean. It'd be much more comfortable, you know." She chuckled, calling him out on his lie.

"May I interest you in a drink, Madame?" Barnabas said, changing the subject and not wanting to admit his little white lie.

"Yeah." Said the baker casually, following the man into the kitchen.

"I have not been here in some time." Barnabas admitted, trying to talk to the cold baker. "For you see, I've always had someone make my meals for me. I suppose it's all the same though, because if I were to cook for myself I daresay I'd starve." He chuckled, pulling out a glass and filling it with water for his guest.

"Oh poor you, 'aving to 'ave people wait on you hand and foot." Said as she accepted her glass of water. "I've always been on the opposite end of that you know, 'aving to wear me fingers to the bone and slave over an oven for people like you." She commented as she took a sip of water.

Barnabas' eyebrows furrowed at the woman's reply, wondering why she always seemed to be in a bad mood. "Ah yes, you've never told me what you do, or-did for a living." He tried yet again.

"Baker." She commented blandly.

"Oh. Well that is quite an interesting occupation." Said the vampire politely, hoping his guest would give a little insight into her life.

"Yes, if you love waking up every morning and ruining your hands kneading dough and making pie after pie after pie and spending your day dishing out slop to disgusting street vermin without an ounce of respect or love, with nobody to notice you or care about you or or…." She ranted on about her horrible life until she realized she had let herself say too much. She shook her head and stared at the counter as she took another sip of water.

"Did you….did you have anyone? A-a man, I mean..." Barnabas asked in a timid voice, now even more curious about this stranger's time in London.

When heard the question though, her head snapped up and she locked eyes with his, giving him a menacing glare. "This conversation is over." She snapped.

"Oh, I do apologize if I have offended you in any way, Madame, it was not my intention-"

"Look Mista Collins. I just came down to get some water. So thank you very much, and I'll see you tomorrow then." Mrs. Lovett interrupted, brusquely standing up and walked out the door, leaving Barnabas alone once again.

Sighing, the vampire sat back down on his usual seat on the sofa in the same position he was in before had come in. Why was it that he always said the wrong things at the worst times?! The woman probably hated him now, and it was all his fault. He sighed and picked up the book Elizabeth had been reading, deciding to forget about the mess that he just created. After an hour of reading, the vampire decided to retire to his room. He couldn't hear the baker's silent cries next door.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Note: **Hi guys, sorry for the delay! It's been super busy with school and stuff, but anyways, hope you love this chapter! Reviews are most definitely welcome! - Ashley and Allie_

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It had only been a few days since Nellie arrived at Collinwood. Already, she was going out in the town and looking for jobs. She never told Barnabas where she went. Strangely, that worried him; but she didn't care. Nellie didn't care about anyone but herself, and she was determined to stay that way. Although she was becoming more fond of Barnabas, she didn't spend a lot of time at Collinwood. She still hadn't met Barnabas' distant cousin, Elizabeth, which worried her a bit. She didn't know what to believe.

"Oh, thank goodness you're alright. I was so worried about you. You didn't tell me you were leaving, where were you?" Barnabas asked worriedly as Mrs. Lovett came into the door at around three in the afternoon.

Chuckling, Nellie rolled her eyes. "Barnabas, I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself, always 'ave, thank you very much. I didn't know I 'ad to tell you every time I left the house," she muttered with a raised eyebrow.

Swallowing, Barnabas nodded. He embarrassed himself once again. "I just like to make sure you're safe," he said quietly. "What ever do you do in town, anyway?" he questioned curiously.

"That's not your business."

Barnabas nodded with a defeated look, but then came up with an idea. "Then I apologize for intruding, Madame. Dare I make it up to you?"

"And 'ow would you do that?" Nellie asked skeptically.

"Perhaps a walk along the shoreline? Dinner at the finest of cuisines?" Barnabas suggestsed a bit too quickly.

Nellie, taking a deep breath, looked at anything but Barnabas. She wasn't sure what to say. She did want to accept his invitation, but it might be too risky. She was a lonely woman, though, and Barnabas was a gentleman. She did not consider this as a date, rather a time to get to know the man she was living with. "Fine," she finally said, sticking her nose in the air. "When?" Nellie saw Barnabas smile widely, his eyes glistening with excitement.

"Whenever you're ready, Nellie." Barnabas felt like this was his chance. For what, he didn't know, but it was a chance. He was determined to impress Nellie.

Nellie swiftly nodded and then turned to go upstairs. She felt familiar butterflies in her stomach, causing her to curse in her head. 'It's not a date,' she reminded herself. After she was in her room, she quickly fixed her hair and put her newly-purchased makeup on. She didn't look too bad. She was extremely nervous now, but she had no reason to be, at least that's what she said in her head. Nellie knew herself well, she knew that a man like Barnabas could easily charm her. Though she had only agreed because she wanted him to like her better, she had a feeling she'd come out of this liking him better as well. And what was the problem with that? She needed some friends here. It would be fine.

Barnabas was waiting for her downstairs, umbrella in hand. He was also nervous. He had been thinking of things he could say to her, planning out their conversation already. He did not want to tarnish their new, fragile relationship. He wanted this beautiful woman to be fond of him as he was for her.

"Why're you always carryin' an umbrella?" Nellie asked as soon as she saw the man, dressed in all black and holding an umbrella indoors.

"I have sensitive skin," Barnabas replied quietly. He shyly walked to the door, opening it, and then holding his arm out timidly.

Nellie slowly walked over to the door. She gave Barnabas a cautious look before, for the first time, locking her arm with his like he wanted all along. "The coast is just a few minutes away," Barnabas informed his companion. "Have you been well here, in Collinsport?" he then asked.

"I suppose it's been fine. I would've been much worse off if not for you," she said quietly, looking up at Barnabas with a small smile. Barnabas, holding the umbrella over them, managed to give Nellie a quick smile back. "It's my pleasure."

They arrived at the beach, where it was quite chilly but perfect for two people to spend some time together. "Wait," Nellie muttered once they were there. She proceeded to take her boots off, leaving them on a small rock to get them later. Barnabas smiled, looking down at the woman's small feet wiggle in the sand. "I've always loved the beach," Nellie continued dreamily. She took Barnabas' arm again and they began to walk along the shoreline, the wind blowing Mrs. Lovet's hair in every direction.

"Is that so?" Barnabas questioned. "That's wonderful, Madame, because you can come to this one any time you want."

Smiling, Nellie nodded in satisfaction. "Quite wonderful indeed." As they continued, Nellie yawned, tired from her day out earlier. She didn't realize what she was doing when she leaned her head on Barnabas' shoulder. Barnabas inhaled a sharp breath, but thankfully it was subtle because Nellie didn't seem to notice. Barnabas quite liked the position they were in and didn't want Mrs. Lovett to move, so he didn't say anything.

"I 'ave a feeling we'll end up as great friends, Barnabas Collins," Nellie finally spoke.

"As do I, Nellie Lovett," Barnabas replied with a sweet smile. "I don't know if you know this, but you're extremely charming."

"Not as charming as I'd like to be, Barnabas. Could never get the man I wanted, ya see."

Barnabas frowned, confused by this. Who would refuse Nellie? Of course, Barnabas had Victoria and Josette. They were beautiful, they were charming, but they were not extraordinary. Nellie was extraordinary. She was different than most women, she was endearing and mysterious. "I can't see why," he finally said, causing Mrs. Lovett to blush. Barnabas, looking at Nellie with curious eyes, suddenly stopped in his tracks. He waited for her to turn and look at him with a confused face, and then abruptly leaned down to kiss her on the lips. The kiss wasn't long, it wasn't loving, it wasn't passionate. It was simply a kiss. Once he pulled away, he looked at Mrs. Lovett. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she was obviously expecting an explanation. "Oh! My sincerest apologies, Nellie. I don't know what came over me," Barnabas said, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment. "I really am sorry."

"'S' fine," Nellie replied, still confused. She gulped and looked down. Her mind was telling her to yell at the man, telling her that this wasn't right. She should not allow him to have power such as this. She was in charge, he did not just get to kiss her whenever he wanted. Sure, they were on a beach, and it was quite romantic, but that was beside the point.

Lifting her head up shyly, everything she was thinking disappeared as she saw Barnabas' face again. Why did she have the urge to kiss him once more? It was only because she hadn't kissed anyone in so long, that was all. Or rather, someone kissed her, which was even more surprising. Despite her mind's protests, Nellie knew she liked the kiss.

"I'm sor-" Barnabas started again.

"I said it's fine," Nellie cut him off sharply. "But, I...I'm afraid I'm tired now. Too tired to be out here. I think I'll go back home, and no, you don't 'ave to walk me back. I'll see you soon," Mrs. Lovett said quickly, turning around with wide eyes as she went to retrieve her boots and go back to the mansion. She didn't know what to think, but she was sure that if she stayed there any longer, she'd do something foolish.

Behind her, Barnabas stood still, staring. He didn't know what to think. Nellie didn't seem offended, but she had scurried away rather quickly. He desperately hoped that he didn't ruin everything he was aiming for. The vampire was sure of one thing: he wanted more. He wanted Nellie. He lost his other loves, but Angelique was gone now. He was determined to make this one his, his until the end of time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: Hey everybody! So first off I'm really sorry for the delay! My friend and I have just been so busy and haven't had time to post anything! But anyways, we're back! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and reviews are always welcome!**

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Mrs. Lovett sat in her bedroom, staring out her window at the man walking back to the house. What was his deal? Who did he think he was, planting a kiss on her like that?! The baker had specifically promised herself that if love or sex made their way into the equation, she would get out. The only problem was...she didn't exactly want to get out. She didn't love the man, of course. She loved Sweeney. Barnabas was just a good friend is all. He was nice and charming and sweet, and she wanted to stay with him. But if she was going to stay, she needed to show this man who was in charge. She was tired of men pushing her around just because she was a girl and thinking they had the right to put their filthy hands on her just because she was pretty. He hardly even knew her! But it wasn't any of these thoughts that bothered her, it was the fact that she almost liked it that had her scared stiff. She should've given that man a good black eye, and this was what was confusing her. Why didn't she?! What was holding her back? She spent the rest of her day in her room, pacing back and forth as her mixed for her landlord messed with her head.

Meanwhile, Barnabas stood in front of the fireplace. He took in deep breaths, wondering what was the matter with Mrs. Lovett . He hoped he hadn't scared her away. He tended to do that to people since he wasn't really what people considered normal in this day and age. He really liked her though. Maybe he liked her a bit too much? Was he being too clingy? Or maybe he just had to try harder.

"Mrs. Lovett ? Are you alright in there? Would you perhaps like to join m-me for dinner?" The vampire had finally decided to knock on the baker's door and try yet again to win her affections.

Nellie jumped when she heard he knock on her door, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm not hungry." She shouted back. Of course, as soon as the words left her mouth her stomach let out a loud growl.

"Your body betrays you, Madame. Please, come down. Let me pamper you. Enjoy a nice meal that you fully deserve. Please, I hate to see you- or not see you rather. If it makes you more comfortable, I can dwell elsewhere..." He offered.

Suddenly the door opened and stood on the other side with her hands on her hips. "No, s'alright." She muttered, looking over the top of the man's head to avoid his eyes. She really was hungry. And she didn't mind spending more time with Barnabas really, she was just confused at the moment about her feelings towards him.

"Excuse me?" Asked a baffled Barnabas.

"S'alright. I'll come down for dinner. You don't 'ave to go." She said simply then walked past the man in front of her without giving him another glance. She didn't want to give him to have the satisfaction of having all her attention.

Barnabas stood outside the room, gaping like an idiot as pushed past him. Was she willing to give him another chance? Before he could get too hopeful, he heard the woman grumble a small "You comin' or what?" and snapped out of his state of confusion.

"Oh yes, of course Madame!" He said, running behind her and catching up to her just in time to pull out her chair before she sat down.

Mrs. Lovett smirked when Barnabas pulled out her seat for her, as a proper gentleman would. She brushed down her skirts and played with a strand of hair again as the two of them sat in awkward silence. She looked at the plate placed in front of her and began to take a small bite when she looked up and noticed the man opposite her with nothing but a glass of wine in front of him.

"You're not eating?" She questioned, looking back down at her plate.

"No. I...no..." Said Barnabas awkwardly. He didn't feel like lying to her again, so he just kept it simple.

Barnabas took a sip of his blood that conveniently looked like wine. He swirled it around in his mouth a bit before swallowing. He watched Mrs. Lovett eat out of the corner of his eye. He didn't know what to say anymore. She obviously didn't like him. Well, she might've liked him, but she was too stubborn to show it, which made the vampire extremely uncomfortable.

Nellie slowly looked up at the man again, wondering why he wasn't talking or asking her personal questions. She got through about half of her meal before the silence was too much for her to bear and she slammed her fork on the table and sat back in her seat, glaring up at Barnabas.

"Why did you kiss me?" She asked bluntly.

"...what?"

"You heard me. I know we're not going to get anywhere just sitting here in silence so I might as well know why you did it in the first place." The baker said confidently, drumming her fingers on the table as she waited for an answer.

"I uh…I don't know…" Was the first thing Barnabas could think to say. He couldn't believe she was just coming at him like this. He really didn't know what he should say. He couldn't just blow it off, saying it was nothing. It was obviously something. But he didn't want to seem too desperate; he couldn't flat out say that he loved her.

"I think that you…you're very charming, and beautiful and…well, I like you."

"Oh." Mrs. Lovett said, trying to hide her blush. "Well, thank you for the meal, Mista Collins. I am quite tired, so I'm afraid we'll 'ave to continue this tomorrow." She muttered before promptly standing up and leaving the table. She had no idea why she left, she should've stayed there and either punched the man or snogged the hell out of him. But she panicked instead. She always did this around men. Whenever something got too emotional she would just leave. Even with Sweeney she had stopped trying. She ran as fast as her short legs could take her and jumped into bed, burying her face into her pillow and trying to sort through her thoughts.

Barnabas sat alone at the dinner table once again, sighing as ran off on him again. Why did she always do this? She'd make him think that maybe she liked him back and then suddenly ran away from him. Maybe he should stop trying so hard. He was obviously just making a fool of himself. But if he stopped trying, she could think he was uninterested again? Why did love have to be hard?

Before he knew what he was doing, he found himself at 's door again, gently knocking his white knuckles against the expensive wood.

"What?!" He heard a grumpy yell.

"Madame, I do not wish any tension to be between us, if I have offended you in any way, I hope you'll accept my humblest apolo-"

Before he could finish his sentence the door in front of him opened and he saw the baker staring up at him with wide eyes. He watched as she stood on her toes and grabbed his collar, bringing him closer and pressing her lips urgently to his. This kiss lasted longer than the last one. It still wasn't full of love or lust, it was simply Nellie trying to figure out if she liked kissing him or not. It was like a 30 second trial kiss. And she definitely liked it. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she pulled herself back. She didn't know what had gotten into her. Looking up at the gentleman in front of her, she could tell he was just as confused as she was. So as suddenly as it had started, the baker slammed her door shut again, cutting herself away from Barnabas. She couldn't be falling in love, she just couldn't. But to her horror…it had already begun.


	7. Chapter 7

**Note: Hi! Sorry it's been a while guys! There's not really much to say, but if you've decided to keep reading, than you so much and your reviews are incredibly helpful!**

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As the relationship between Barnabas and Nellie became more comfortable, Nellie became more worried. When her mind told her to stop, her body would do the complete opposite. She wasn't kissing him, no, but she was letting him know too much about her. He was desperate to get to know her, and she was becoming less dominant. Nellie hated being weak.

Mrs. Lovett found a job at a local bakery. The pay was alright and she didn't have a lot of work to do. She made cakes, cupcakes, and muffins, and then sold them at the counter. It was way easier than the job she had before. Of course, it was all going fine, until Barnabas sent her flowers, the bastard. Her knees nearly gave out when a huge bouquet of flowers arrived during her work shift. She told herself to ignore it, just to pretend that she didn't care, but the first thing she did when she arrived home was thank Barnabas like a nervous little school girl. He was obviously pleased, causing Nellie to be even more upset.

As the weather became colder, Mrs. Lovett knew she'd have to stay inside more. That meant more time with Barnabas. She knew she'd let herself fall for his charming notions. They weren't courting or anything, but no one ever treated her this way before. While she enjoyed the small amount of time she spent with the man, she went to bed every night thinking about how she hated herself for it.

Mrs. Lovett cursed at herself in her head when she saw the first snowfall. She knew what would happen. Ever since Nellie was a child, there were two things she adored: the seaside and the snow. There was something so appealing about the two, they were so completely romantic that Nellie couldn't bear to experience them alone.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" Nellie asked Barnabas, sitting on the couch near the window. A cup of tea was cradled in her small hands and the fireplace was burning in front of her.

"What's that?" Barnabas asked, taken out of his daydreams concerning Nellie. Unlike his housemate, he thought everything was going quite well between them. He considered them to be friends.

"The fallin' snow, Barnabas. It's so beautiful 'ere, I can see it everywhere. Wasn't like that in London. Pretty, but not like this," Mrs. Lovett mused quietly.

Barnabas, not noticing the snow, raised his eyebrows and looked outside. "Almost as beautiful as you, indeed," he said in a whisper.

"What?"

"I said it's beautiful," the vampire quickly responded. He knew he couldn't be too forward, Nellie didn't like that.

"Yeah, I know. I could sit 'ere and watch it all day."

"Perhaps we could watch it outdoors? I know of a place we could go, Nellie, it's surrounded by trees and there's a small frozen lake in the middle. Perhaps I could find some of my niece's old skates for you," Barnabas suggested nervously.

Nellie, raising her eyebrow, scoffed a bit. "I can't ice skate, Barnabas," she said softly, looking at the floor. Of course she could ice skate, but she hadn't done it in a while. She couldn't go ice skating with a man that was trying to charm her so desperately. She sighed, looking outside again. It was quite gorgeous. 'You've always wanted a winter romance...' her mind reminded her. Clenching her fists, Mrs. Lovett looked back to Barnabas. "Fine," she abruptly said in a stern ton. "Yeah, we can go."

"You'll go?" Barnabas questioned, suddenly excited because he thought she'd refuse.

"Yeah," Mrs. Lovett tried to say seriously, but her voice gave out at the end. She left her tea on the small table and quickly got up, going to get dressed in her room. She was too nervous for words. She had always dreamed that Sweeney would ask her to go out in the snow, and yes, she had planned it all out, but this was very different. Barnabas made her giddy and even a bit flirty. Taking a deep breath and clearing her mind, Nellie put on all of her warm clothes, and then two pairs of gloves and earmuffs. 'Don't do this, Eleanor,' the voice in her head warned. Mrs. Lovett, avoiding the mixed emotions in her mind, went downstairs and saw Barnabas in the same outfit, only with a light coat over it.

"I found the skates for you. But I'll hold them," the man said timidly.

Nellie, giving him a nod, walked closer and let him help her put her coat on. "Won't you be cold?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Certainly not," Barnabas responded with a smile. He held his arm out for Mrs. Lovett, and she took it willingly. Once they were outside, Barnabas led them to the left and then into the woods. Nellie looked up, watching the snowflakes fall from the sky and drop into the trees.

"Why didn't ya bring your umbrella today?" she asked the man next to her.

Barnabas looked at Nellie with a worried face, then shrugged. "There's no sun out," he said hesitantly.

Nellie sighed, not understanding the man, and then leaned her head on his shoulder. She was no doubt causing confusion to Barnabas as well as herself. But, for the first time since she'd arrived, Nellie let it go and forced her mind to be quiet. She simply enjoyed the scenery as she thought dreamily about the fact that a man was treating her like a lady. Barnabas led her through the woods until the baker finally saw the small, frozen lake he was talking about earlier. He smiled at her and handed her the ice skates, Nellie taking them with a wink and going to a nearby log to sit down and put them on.

"You're not gonna skate with me?" she asked with a pouty face.

"There weren't any more sets of skates. And I don't know how," Barnabas admitted, now regretting it. If Nellie wanted him to, he'd definitely buy a pair of ice skates and learn for her. He'd do anything.

Shrugging, Nellie tied the ice skates and got up slowly. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to put a show on for ya then," she said with a giggle. She shakily walked over to the lake and her left foot on, then her right foot. Finally, the baker gained her balance on the sheet of ice and began to skate around. Once she got used to it she started to go faster, spinning and making figure eights in the ice. The small woman closed her eyes and tilted her head up, letting snow fall onto her face. She couldn't remember the last time she was this happy.

Barnabas was also enjoying his time here. He sat on the log, watching his housemate with glistening eyes as she skated on the frozen lake. She had red cheeks and an even brighter red nose, but she didn't seem to notice at all. Barnabas found himself smiling at her beauty. If only she would give him a chance, he was confident that he'd give her a nice life. They only kissed twice, but that was enough for Barnabas to know that he wanted more. It was a bad trait of his, he fell for women a little too quickly. He had a feeling he'd have to work hard for this one.

Mrs. Lovett giggled as she spun in circles. That is, until she felt a crack. Nellie tried to stop as quickly as she could, not knowing if the ice was about to break under her. She found herself unable to stop as she looked down at the ice which was one second away from cracking and falling into the freezing water below. The woman screamed as she felt herself fall, but as quickly as the ice broke, someone was holding her. She fell into the snow with wide eyes, realizing that Barnabas was now on top of her. She was laying in the snow but she didn't feel it too much because of her large coat and, well- the man on top of her. She stared up at him, wondering how it was humanly possible for him to run over to the lake and save her that quickly.

"H-how'd you do that?" she asked in a whisper.

Barnabas, moving his hand to Nellie's face to wipe her hair out of the way, looked at her worriedly. "I-...I saw you were about to fall," he whispered back. He didn't move off of her.

Mrs. Lovett looked up at the man as he stared down at her, focusing on her red nose and chattering lips. Her eyebrows furrowed for a second. She didn't want him to move. As crazy as it was, she wanted to stay right here in the snow.

"Kiss me."

Gulping, Barnabas nodded, this being exactly what he was waiting for. He leaned down and connected lips with hers. He heard her let out a small moan as her gloved hand reached up and touched his hair, effectively putting some snowflakes into it. They continued to kiss, quite passionately indeed. Barnabas knew that these kisses were different than the ones from the last two times. Nellie was letting him in, letting him love her as a man should. He didn't know how long it had been, but he felt Nellie begin to shiver. He pulled away and looked at her with a small frown. "You're cold."

"No, I'm not," the tiny woman responded, shaking her head. "Keep going."

Smirking, Barnabas shook his head back at her. "Yes, you are. We can

keep going at home, if you like. You need warmth." The vampire slowly climbed off of Mrs. Lovett. He got her boots and then put them on as fast as possible for her. He helped her out of the snow and then wrapped one arm around her as they began to walk back to Collinwood.

Walking as close to him as possible, Nellie enjoyed the warmth he was giving her, inside and outside of her body. No words were said as they strolled back, but both were thinking the same thing. They knew that they wanted more, they knew that they couldn't resist each other. The two were more than ready to love and be loved.


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